1. Technical Field
The disclosure herein relates to preparing cut lengths of surgical sutures, and more particularly to a device for cutting a suture to a desired length with minimum end distortion for attachment to a needle.
2. Background of the Art
Surgical sutures are known in the art and can be multifilament or monofilament as well as bioabsorbable or non-bioabsorbable. Typically, sutures are attached to surgical needles as needle-suture combinations. The surgical needles generally have an aperture into which the end of a suture is inserted and secured by, for example, crimping or swaging the needle. Prior to insertion, the suture end is prepared by cutting.
Multifilament sutures have a tendency to "broom," i.e., the filaments tend to spread out at the end after the cut is made. Because the needle aperture size and suture diameter are dimensionally close, distortion of the suture end, such as that caused by brooming, makes it difficult to insert the suture end into the needle aperture. Hence, multifilament sutures are preferably tipped prior to cutting with an appropriate tipping agent which causes the filaments to adhere to each other. Tipping the suture facilitates the insertion of the suture end into the needle aperture by preventing brooming of the cut filaments.
Cutting is usually performed by passing a sharp edged cutting blade (e.g., razor blade or scissors) laterally across the suture at the tipped portion. However, this manner of cutting can cause abrasion of the suture because pressure is applied laterally, and distortion of the suture end can arise from the cutting process even when the end has been tipped. Accordingly, what is needed is a method and apparatus for cutting a suture which minimizes distortion.